Hotel Colón Rambla

We were in town for a concert at the Auditorium and stayed one night. The public areas lacked character, but our junior suite was excellent: a huge room with a comfortable sitting area and a furnished balcony looking over tropical gardens and the pool. There’s a lovely park close by and the Ramblas for scenic walks. We ate at Taberna Ramon just down the road, which had a great atmosphere and tapas.

The garden and pool area were nice, the food had decent variety and was good, and the restaurant staff were friendly. Most staff were helpful and handled the room issue reasonably well, although one staff member, whose name I didn’t catch, was rude and unprofessional. I understand the hotel was full and couldn’t offer a better room right away, but why are old, tired, smelly rooms still being sold? I booked based on the photos, so it was disappointing to get an old, tired room with an unpleasant smell. I complained and was moved twice: first to a disabled room for one night, then the next day to a slightly better room with nicer furniture. Moving rooms twice was inconvenient and frustrating. Some rooms have been redecorated, but many haven’t, so the pictures can be misleading. The property needs updating, and while it charges four-star prices, the amenities and overall standard felt closer to three stars. It’s also next to a busy road. I don’t usually complain about hotels. I’ve stayed in lower-standard places before when I knew what to expect. This was especially disappointing because the hotel looked great in the photos and had good reviews, which set expectations that weren’t met. Despite the positives, I wouldn’t stay here again at that price.

We’ve stayed in a good number of places in Santa Cruz, but this was our first time at the Hotel Colon Rambla. Both room types we saw were spacious, well equipped and very comfortable. All the staff were excellent, friendly and accommodating while staying professional. Great value for money, and we’ll come back next time we visit Santa Cruz.

We always book the junior suites, which are large, comfortable and overlook the pool. The staff are friendly, and a big shout out to duty manager Kevin, who made us feel so welcome. Nothing was too much trouble for him, he’s a real asset to the hotel. Colon Rambla is a small hotel in the historic part of the city, with beautiful surroundings. We’ve stayed here a number of times and always enjoy it.